Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1887-05-07
FARM TALKS.
The Month Of April-1ncrsasiug Dairy
Production, Spring Work. Etc.

&lu NVJtu OF dpIll 2uSroaSluS DdiiI
Production, Spring Work. Etc.
Den: Perley Poore, in The american
Caliivato,y Learned writers tell Us that
the name of the month of April is de-
rived from the Latin word Aperio. 81
open" IN allusion TO the open ne OF
the buds OF trees. flowers. etc. II this
were the case, it would make April sim
gular among the months. fol the names
of the rest do not contain any reference
to the natural cond tons or circum-
stances. Among the Romans April
was considered as Venus's month. on
account OF the reproductive powers Of
Nature being aroused in it. The first
day was cspec ally set aside as FeStum
VelcriS ct to"tUHae Firtiis. festival
which has G ven place to the present
ridiculous custom of April fool ne on
that day. The ancient SaXons called
April Oster MOnath. The only plausi-
BILE origin for the appeIlation being that
east winds prevail at this season. The
term Easter is supposed to have come
from the same origin.
The sun enters the astronomical sign
Taurus on the goth day of April In
the Eastern Hem sphere proyerbial
wisdom asserts that
A cold April
The barn will I'll.
7 The copious rains which generally fall
In this month are welcome, because
An April food
Carries away the frog and bis brood.
And as n precursor of Summer. the
moisture of the month is we'll received,
because
April showers
Bring May flowers.
Even the harsh winds of this month
do not come amiss, because
When April blows his horn
It's good for both la, and corn
In most States there is generally 4
time during the month in which land
may be plowed aud seeds sown. This
is known as the early ''seedtime." and
farmers who take advantage of it are
generally !such more fortunate than
those who keep Oh waiting for some
thing 10 turn up until the cold rains OF
May saturate the soil so much that
nothing can be done for several weeks.
Advantage should be taken of the
early seedtime to sow oats, for this
grain. as a general rule. always yields
q heavier crop when sown early than
when sown late. as in the former case
the young plants have brairdod and
covered tho ground before the heat of
the sun absorbs the moisture from the
sol. The grain OF The early crop is al
ways heavier than that of the late, for
the kernels OF the former have time to
fill and mature properly, while those
of the latter are light and chaffy. In
ord,r to have heavy crop of oats new
seed must DO imported from Europe
frequently, or selection made of the
best and heaviest panicles and tho seed
propagated from them. Several bush
els might be added to the agreeable pro-
duce OF the oat crop by procuring COOL
heavy seei Of the best varieties, and
sowing it early in well-prepared soil
In making select on of oats for
seed the verv best variety should be
procured. The English potato oat is
large. plump. heavy gran. free from
awns. 1t deteriorates rap dly in the
United States. especially when sown
late. 1t was propagatcd from a single
plant found growing in potato field in
Cumberland. England. and has been Of
incalculablc benefit to farmers by in
creasing the agreeable yield of the oat
crop wherever it has been cultivated.
The Surprise oat, so highly spoken of
BY the persons who have it for sale, is
said to have been or gnatcd in a sim
lar way. The black Poland oat is
good variety. i once saw sample of
New Brunsw ok white oat, VIII CHI was
very plump and heavy. The Imperial
oat produces very well in some local.
ties. Thc same may BE- said of the
white Poland. The Prince Edwards
lslanl black oat is an excellent variety.
which produces largely. weighs heavily
and do s not deter crate rs rapidly as
other kinds.
The crusade aga nst butterine, under
the auspices of the nat onal Goves,A-
ment VIII doubtless induce many
farmers TO increase their stock of mich
cows. and to enlarge their diaries.
There is scH~ely any branch of farm
ing more profitable, on land suitable
for. the purpose. than that of keep ny
good selection of mich cows. manufact.
uring butter or cheese. raising young
stock and fattening hogs. There is